Russia says US supports separatist elements in Syria

The US supports the "separatist sentiments" of some leaders of the "Syrian Kurds" and openly pursues a line to separate these territories from the rest of the country, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said.

Speaking at a press briefing in Moscow, Zakharova called the "illegal" military presence of the US "the main obstacle" to reconciliation between the "self-proclaimed administration of the northeast" part of Syria and its government.

"We are making efforts to encourage dialogue between representatives of the self-proclaimed administration of the northeast of Syria and the government of the Syrian Arab Republic to return the Euphrates to the common space of the Syrian state.

"The main obstacle is still the illegal US military presence. The Americans support the separatist sentiments of some leaders of the Syrian Kurds and openly pursue a line of separation from Damascus of these territories," the spokeswoman said.

She noted that the occupied territories are "rich in oil and other natural resources."

"We have repeatedly talked about this, and in contacts with Kurdish representatives, we consistently pursue the idea that betting on an alliance with Washington instead of building normal interaction with the central government of Syria is counterproductive and short-sighted," she stressed, promising to continue "the relevant work."